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To some it has seemed strange that the Lord should, in yielding (so to speak) to the demand of the people for a king, have allowed a step which met not his approbation. The policy of this we have explained. But it may now be pointed out that God does often thus act in his dealings with nations and individuals. He often grants when he is angry, and refuses when he is pleased. Of the former, we have seen that God granted Balaam leave to go to the land of Moab, but at his peril; and he granted quails to Israel in the wilderness, but it was in his wrath. So foolish are we and ignorant, that we often desire things that would be our bane, and often deprecate things which would prove our chiefest blessings. It therefore behooves us, to prefer our supplications in reliance upon his perfect knowledge of what is best for us, in every circumstance. Even our Savior, in uttering a wish to his Father to be relieved, “if it were possible” consistently with the great object for which he came into the world, from the most appalling agony that earth ever witnessed—even he felt it needful to add a clause of limitation and dependence—“Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” And even his prayer was not granted. The cup did not pass from him; but an angel was sent to comfort and sustain him, and to enable him to drink it even to the dregs. How much more, then, should we subject our suits to the same dependence—not in a form of words only, but in truth, upon the will and high judgment of God, knowing that his love may often be no less shown by a refusal than a compliance with our requests: for “this is the confidence we have in him—that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.” Note: 1Jn_5:14. And if that which is asked be not according to his will, it is a fatherly favor and mercy in him not to grant it. It is nevertheless true that when the mind and heart have been brought under the influence of divine grace, a growing conformity to the will and purposes of God is produced, and a quick perception as to what it is fit to ask of him is awakened, so that he who walks in the Spirit seldom errs in that which he asks and his prayer is generally granted, because, being taught by the Spirit of God what to ask, he usually asks aright. Thus “Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do that which is pleasing in his sight.” Note: 1Jn_3:22. Many who do not truly enjoy any spiritual life, though they observe the decencies of prayer, and have even a conviction of its efficacy (for all who pray have not that conviction), and many who are yet in the infancy of their spiritual being, have not their petitions granted, not merely because they ask what might be injurious to them, but because they ask not from truly spiritual motives: “Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” Note: Jas_4:3. This form of danger in prayer is connected with a lower stage of inner life than that which leaves the petitioner merely open to mistake in his judgment as to what may be good for himself and others—and which requires the supplication to be accompanied by the conviction and the faith that although the Father will not give his son a stone when he asks him for bread, he will often refuse a stone when asked, that he may give bread instead. But if he be angry at our obduracy and self-will, he may give us the stone we seek, that by the disappointment of our expectations we may be punished, or brought to repentance, or learn better the wisdom and blessedness of living in complete dependence upon him.
When Saul had parted from Samuel, and was on his way home, he fell in with “a company of prophets,” with their instruments of music—persons belonging to one of those “schools” or “colleges” of the prophets which Samuel seems to have instituted, and which we shall have hereafter to notice fully. Then happened to Saul what Samuel had predicted to him before they separated: “The Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and be turned into another man. And let it be, when these signs are come upon thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee,” 1Sa_10:6-7. It will occur to most readers that, although these words describe Saul as being turned into another man, they do not declare that he was turned into a new one; and although they have reference to a lesser work of the Holy Spirit than his regenerating and sanctifying work, they are remarkably typical or adumbrative of that larger and greater work of God in the soul of man.
It is observable that this coming of the Spirit of God upon Saul, and turning him into another man, was properly his introduction to the kingdom, and constituted his fitness for it. It was the proper sequel to, and completion of, the operation commenced by his anointing, and by it he acquired all the fitness he ever possessed for the kingdom. In like manner no one is fit for the kingdom of heaven until the Spirit of God has come upon him, and turned him, not only into another, but into a new man—so that with him old things have passed away, and all things have become new. The change is greater than that of Saul—for having received this anointing from the Holy One, we become not only subjects of Christ’s kingdom, but indeed “kings and priests unto God.”
We also see that the lesser change wrought in the heart of Saul, was the work of the Spirit of God. How much more, then, the great change by which man becomes a new creature, and the subject of a new kingdom—by which he passes from outer darkness into that inner light which shines through the realm where God abides—and which transfers the liberated soul, captive so long, from the power of Satan unto God. All is the work of the Spirit. There is no other power in the universe but his that can make any real change in the least atom of the human heart. None else can furnish, nor any hand but his pour in, the wine and oil by which the soul’s deadly wound is healed, and from which it receives new life, new perceptions, new powers, new strength—so that they who lay sunk, lost and exanimate, in the valley of the shadow of death, are enabled to mount up with wings like eagles, to run, and not be weary, to walk, and not faint.
Saul, when this change had passed upon him, had new privileges which belonged not to him before. Till then Samuel had told him everything that should happen to him by the way, and every step that he should take. But at the point when the Spirit of God had come upon him, when he is changed into another man, the prophet gives no further directions—he simply says, “Do as occasion serve thee, for God is with thee.” When light had come to him from heaven, the lamp of the prophet was no longer needful to guide his steps, and if he followed that light in the simplicity of faith, it would guide him safely home. He who has God with him, has a sufficient guardian, counsellor, and guide, and he may walk freely and fearlessly in his appointed path. But he must take care that God is with him—he must be sure that the light he follows is light from heaven. That light—the true light that lighteth every one that really enters the spiritual world—never led astray or left in darkness any that followed it. The only danger is that the candles which men hold up, should be taken for the light of God; but the children of the kingdom possess a Witness with their spirits which will not suffer them to make this mistake, if they but heed His testimony.
With regard to the change that was wrought in Saul, we apprehend that it was rather a civil than a sanctifying change. God gave him not that free and noble spirit that David prayed for and attained (Psa_51:11), but only common gifts of princely parts, prudence, courage, and conduct. The change, however, although not the greatest, was very great; insomuch that it became thenceforth a common proverb among the people—“Is Saul also among the prophets?” when they beheld any rude person raised up and ranked among men of eminence, far above his birth and breeding. Thus the people wondered at the change in Saul, whom they deemed more fit to feed his father’s asses, than to take part in the holy exercises of the prophets. But they knew not yet that this very man was to be their king.